The Consequence Of The New War
Which The Romans Waged Against Them, Was The Reduction Of Istria And Of
Illyricum Proper.
The destruction of Saguntum by the Carthaginians was the cause of the
second Punic war.
At what period the Carthaginians first established
themselves in Spain, is not known. Their principal object in colonizing and
retaining it, undoubtedly may be found in the richness of its mines, and
the fertility of its soil. According to Diodorus Siculus, they were
principally enabled to equip and support their numerous, and frequently
renewed fleets, by the silver which they drew from these mines. And Strabo
expressly informs us, that when the Carthaginians first colonized Spain,
silver was in such abundance, and so easily obtained, that their most
common utensils, and even the mangers for their horses, were made of it.
One mine of extreme richness is particularly described by Pliny: according
to him, it yielded 300 pounds of silver in a day. There are other
circumstances which point out the extreme value of Spain to whoever
possessed it, and lead us to the motives which induced the Romans to use
all their efforts to wrest it from the Carthaginians. It cannot be doubted
that the Carthaginians drew from it all the wealth, in various shapes,
which it could possibly supply; and yet we know that in the short space of
nine years, 111,542 pounds weight of silver, 4095 of gold, besides coin,
were brought out of it by the Roman praetors, who governed it.
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